step-down trauma

SkateBetty · Mar 23, 2006

Hi,
I posted in the ER thread but didn't get any response. So I'm posting here hoping for one.
If you are working in a step-down trauma unit, do you enjoy it? I was on one the other day and it was very fast paced... Do you consider yourselves a trauma nurse or a med-surge nurse? What level trauma is your hospital? Mine is a level I. Do you see all trauma or is med-surge mixed in as well? Any suggestions on how to organize myself would be greatly appreciated as I am a new-grad.
Thanks

I'm surprised you never heard from anyone. Did you become a trauma step-down nurse? I am a new grad/new nurse in a Level II trauma step-down, and so far I like it. Our unit does have patients occasionally, as over-flow, from other departments. Which forum do all the trauma nurses hang out on? Good luck in your first year.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 23, 2006

Hi,
I posted in the ER thread but didn't get any response. So I'm posting here hoping for one.
If you are working in a step-down trauma unit, do you enjoy it? I was on one the other day and it was very fast paced... Do you consider yourselves a trauma nurse or a med-surge nurse? What level trauma is your hospital? Mine is a level I. Do you see all trauma or is med-surge mixed in as well? Any suggestions on how to organize myself would be greatly appreciated as I am a new-grad.
Thanks

First, a step-down trauma unit is essentially a med surg unit that cares for patients that have made it thru the acute phase of aome type of trauma.

It is not any different than working on a surgical step-down unit, the paitents are out of ICU but still may need telemetry or closer nursing care with better ratios. But it definitely is not a "trauma" unit.

Trauma nurses work in the ED, ICU nurses work in the Critical Care area. Some times it merges, but by the time that the patient makes it to a regular bed, the trauma has been taken care of.

This is probably why you did not get any response from the ER thread, these patients are no longer considered trauma by them.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 23, 2006

I'm surprised you never heard from anyone. Did you become a trauma step-down nurse? I am a new grad/new nurse in a Level II trauma step-down, and so far I like it. Our unit does have patients occasionally, as over-flow, from other departments. Which forum do all the trauma nurses hang out on? Good luck in your first year.

These types of patients are no longer considered trauma patients. Trauma is a mechanism of injury, nothing more. You are treating patients that have made it thru the acute phase of the "trauma" situation, and then need addtitional care.

nursing 101 · Mar 24, 2006

Hi,

When I did not receive a response from the ER forum I did write the societey of Trauma nurse http://www.traumanursesoc.org. I was advised that trauma nurses are also in step-down units as well, they also said I could be considered a med-surge nurse as well. It was basically up to me since I did take care of people that had a trauma. We still received mandatory trauma sessions on the floor I worked on.

Their website also gives you a broad definition of what a trauma nurse and a step-down, med-surge unit taking care of trauma patients does fall under their category.

At this point you can write them and they will answer you as well. Wish I had kept their e-mail.

But I am no longer in trauma I am on a Critical Care unit now, just started too.

The trauma floor I was was very fast paced but too many patients :mad:

Anyway good luck! It was a very interesting floor. I got to see alot of procedures done.